Journal

Store sterling silver jewelry to prevent tarnish using professional studio methods
Store sterling silver jewelry to prevent tarnish using professional studio methods
You might think that a velvet-lined jewelry box is the safest harbor for your collection, but these fabric-lined cases often trap the very sulfur compounds that turn your silver black.... Read more...
Can you get turquoise jewelry wet and what happens to the stone?
Can you get turquoise jewelry wet and what happens to the stone?
You step into the shower or reach for the garden hose, only to realize your favorite ring is still on your finger. This instant of hesitation is familiar to anyone... Read more...
How to clean turquoise and silver jewelry for lasting beauty
How to clean turquoise and silver jewelry for lasting beauty
A favorite Southwestern style cuff sits on the dresser, its silver darkened by a layer of grey tarnish that obscures the vibrant blue of the hand-cut stone. Most collectors hesitate... Read more...
What Is Stabilized Turquoise and Is It Valuable for Collectors?
What Is Stabilized Turquoise and Is It Valuable for Collectors?
Step into our Santa Fe studio on a Tuesday morning and you might find Kimberly Cordova sorting through a new batch of hand-cut cabochons. She looks for the specific character... Read more...
Real vs Fake Turquoise Test at Home: A Studio Guide to Authenticity
Real vs Fake Turquoise Test at Home: A Studio Guide to Authenticity
You sit at your kitchen table, turning a cool, blue cabochon over in your palm, wondering if the weight you feel is the history of a Sleeping Beauty mine or... Read more...
Kingman Turquoise: The Enduring Heart of Southwestern Artisan Jewelry
Kingman Turquoise: The Enduring Heart of Southwestern Artisan Jewelry
While the Kingman mine produced nearly 80,000 pounds of stone in 1973, only about 3% of the material pulled from the Arizona earth today is hard enough to remain natural... Read more...
Authentic turquoise jewelry and the artisan studio process
Authentic turquoise jewelry and the artisan studio process
Less than 1% of the turquoise circulating in the global market today is considered true gem grade. When you're looking for authentic turquoise jewelry, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by... Read more...
Types of Turquoise: A Guide to Mines, Matrix, and Natural Stones
Types of Turquoise: A Guide to Mines, Matrix, and Natural Stones
Only 2% of the turquoise pulled from the earth is high enough quality to be cut and polished without chemical intervention. This rarity makes finding genuine stones a challenge in... Read more...
Concho Belt Guide: Selecting Handcrafted Sterling Silver and Stone
Concho Belt Guide: Selecting Handcrafted Sterling Silver and Stone
Last Tuesday, Kimberly Cordova discovered twelve perfectly matched Royston turquoise cabochons while sorting through a new parcel for a custom, hand-cut concho belt. It's a slow, deliberate process that requires... Read more...
Hopi history and the precision of silver overlay jewelry
Hopi history and the precision of silver overlay jewelry
A single slip of a jeweler's saw can ruin hours of delicate work, yet the artisans of the Three Mesas have mastered this precision for over 80 years. You likely... Read more...
Mohs Scale Guide for Jewelry Collectors and Artisans
Mohs Scale Guide for Jewelry Collectors and Artisans
Last Tuesday, a collector visiting our Santa Fe studio noticed a faint, cloudy scratch across the face of a high-grade Bisbee turquoise cabochon she had worn daily for three years.... Read more...
Navajo Pearls: A Guide to Hand-Burnished Southwestern Sterling Silver Beads
Navajo Pearls: A Guide to Hand-Burnished Southwestern Sterling Silver Beads
A single strand of heavy, hand-burnished silver rests on a sunlit workbench in our Santa Fe studio, reflecting a soft, satin glow that machine-polished beads cannot replicate. You likely recognize... Read more...